Here in Haiti, more than 4.8 million people do not have access to a source of drinking water. 4.8 million people, that’s 36% of the population, a statistic that Camille Lacourt wants to change by its humanitarian implication. Landed on the island of Hispaniola on February 19 for a five-day stay, the five-time World Swimming Champion was able to see with his own eyes the tremendous work done on the ground by UNICEF and its various partners.

“We see that there is a lot of work and that it works quickly” says the French celebrity, sponsor of the Nuit de l’Eau. This presence in Haiti of Camille Lacourt was aimed at seeing and witnessing UNICEF’s action on the ground and seeing how the funds collected by the Nuit de l’Eau are used.

“All donations are useful. There has been a lot of work done but there is still a lot left. Haiti is not just earthquakes and hurricanes. Do not help only at these times but a little bit all the time, ” explains Camille.

In the department of the Center, Camille was able to see everything that was done and all the difficulties encountered to bring the drinking water from the sources to the populations. At La Chapelle he visited a water system damaged by Hurricane Irma. Thanks to the many donations, this supply system has been rehabilitated and many water points are now cleaned up. In total, 910,000 people now have access to a drinking water point.

Also in the Center, he was able to meet the students of the National School of Trianon in Mirebalais, one of the 152 “friendly schools of hygiene”. There, with UNICEF support, children can wash their hands and can access separate toilets. These programs were partly funded by public generosity at the 2017 Nuit de l’Eau.

“For us when we are lucky to come on the field, we see that the work has really been done and is being done. That’s the message I’m trying to convey: donations, it’s useful, it’s really helpful” says Camille Lecours

Finally in Port-au-Prince in the West Department, accompanied by the doctor Karine Sévère, doctor in charge, he visited the “Centre de Traitement du Choléra et de Diarrhée Aigüe Gheskio” and a water chlorination point in the Bristou district in Petionville.

“It’s very far from what we know but yes I relativize a lot saying that I was very lucky to be able to do my sport in pools filled with water and that here there is not enough, so that gives me even more desire to talk about that “added Camille Lacourt.